The present invention relates to a latch and release system for a connector disposable within a mating receptacle.
Electrical connectors and fiber optic connectors for high speed computing and communications systems are known. For example, a backplane assembly designed for light transmission generally includes fiber optic connectors attached to the backplane. The connectors typically house a ferrule that holds a single-fiber or a multi-fiber optical ribbon. A backplane is basically a printed circuit board (xe2x80x9cPCBxe2x80x9d). The backplane fiber optic connectors are typically housed within a mating receptacle, which is often referred to as an xe2x80x9cadapterxe2x80x9d. The mating ferrule, typically disposed within a corresponding connector on a daughter card (which is a PCB connected to the backplane), is joined to the backplane connector ferrule within the mating receptacle. In this manner, optical signals can be passed between the backplane and the daughter card.
As connectors shrink in size to meet the growing demand for smaller and denser devices, their latching mechanisms and other components must be reduced in size accordingly. However, this miniaturization of components creates an increasing challenge to design a connector that is both reliable and easy to use.
One of the problems that has resulted from this miniaturization trend is the difficulty in designing a connector that is both easy to insert and remove from the mating receptacle. Removal of a connector from the mating receptacle is common. It is necessary for both maintenance and repair. Inventors of the present invention have identified that many of the existing latch and release systems for connectors often suffer from one or more of the following disadvantages.
As the size of the connectors and the space between the connectors in a mating receptacle decrease, it becomes more difficult to release the proper connector without disengaging or disrupting the neighboring connectors. Also, because an installer""s fingers are usually much larger than the latch/release mechanism, this tends to increase the likelihood of damage to the connector or its neighboring connectors due to mishandling. Mishandling can result from a number of different reasons. For example, frustration, improper use of tools and/or lack of proper tools for use within a confined space. Further, latch and release systems are typically designed for a specific application and cannot readily be used with different connector platforms. Often, latch mechanisms are built directly into the connector. And existing latch and release systems often can snag and be susceptible to damage.
What is desired, therefore, is a latch and release system for a connector disposable within a mating receptacle that addresses the above mentioned disadvantages of the existing solutions.
The objects of the present invention are achieved in one embodiment by a latch and release system for a connector disposable within a mating receptacle, where the connector includes a body having a latch portion and a movable release portion, with the movable release portion having a biasing member. The latch and release system also includes an engaging member attached to the mating receptacle, with the engaging member having an engaging portion to engage the latch portion of the connector body when the connector is disposed in the mating receptacle. An abutment portion of the mating receptacle abuts the movable release portion of the connector body when the connector is disposed in the mating receptacle to cause the biasing member of the movable release portion to be biased. The latch and release system further includes a release member having an actuatable portion, where the actuatable portion is actuatable by a user to cause the engaging portion of the engaging member to disengage from the latch portion of the connector body and to cause the biasing member of the movable release portion to become unbiased, whereby this unbiasing of the biasing member creates a force to automatically eject the connector from the mating receptacle.